


Morons

by thewayshedreamed



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas, MAAS Sarah J. - Works
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Friends, Blind Date, Brotp, Elriel au, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Male-Female Friendship, Nezriel brotp - Freeform, POV Azriel (ACoTaR), Tumblr Prompt, elriel fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:54:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28513755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewayshedreamed/pseuds/thewayshedreamed
Summary: Prompt fill— Thank you, illyrianwitchling 💕Hey I'm back with a Nesta x Azriel brotp... Nesta setting Az up on a blind date with Elain.
Relationships: Elain Archeron/Azriel, Nesta & Azriel brotp, Nesta Archeron & Azriel, Nesta Archeron/Azriel, Nezriel brotp, elriel - Relationship
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Morons

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Illyrianwitchling](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Illyrianwitchling/gifts).



> Warning for strong language.

——————————————————————————

“Nes, drop it. I’m not going.”

Azriel’s jaw ticked in irritation, but Nesta wasn’t deterred by her best friend’s onerous disposition. She was more than used to it, it seemed.

“Stop being difficult. I’m just trying to make you happy!”

“You’d think you would know by now that the easiest way to do that is to leave me alone,” Azriel deadpanned, but he felt the barest hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth.

Nesta rolled her eyes. Azriel would have been annoyed by the gesture, but he learned to take it in stride many moons ago. Nesta Archeron’s eyes rolled at a frequency that allowed him plenty of opportunities to habituate.

“It’s like you don’t even trust me,” she muttered bitterly, turning her head to look out over the lawn.

The two friends were seated together beneath the shade of a huge tree on the grad school’s campus, watching throes of students wander around between classes. Azriel had produced a large paper mug of coffee for her and was sipping on an equally large earl grey tea. Nesta was running on minimal sleep after staying up late to study for her exam that morning, and he knew she would be an absolute terror by noon if not properly caffeinated.

“Wow. That escalated quickly.” Azriel eased back onto the grass, bending his arm beneath his head to settle against his elbow. “How did we get here?”

Nesta turned toward her friend, throwing a soft jab to his ribs for his gibing. The man folded slightly at the hurt, deciding suddenly to wrap his other arm around her waist and pull her roughly back onto the grass next to him. Nesta let out a loud sound of indignation at being manhandled, but all things considered, Azriel knew he got off easy that time.

He released her immediately and was surprised when she wiggled to settle in rather than sitting straight up in defiance. Her head of golden brown hair rolled his way, her steel blue eyes staring straight into his soul as they usually did.

“I wouldn’t set you up on a blind date if I wasn’t sure about it, Az. Would you loosen up, please?”

Azriel huffed a laugh at the irony of her question, turning his gaze to the leaves overhead. “Nesta, what would you say if I told you I set you up on a blind date?”

“I would tell you that Cassian would be pissed.”

It was Azriel’s turn to roll his eyes, and he did; so hard that he feared they may get stuck. “Don’t be so literal. You know what I meant.”

“Look, I get it. You hate the idea, but I’m just asking you to trust me. I made a reservation under my name for Friday at 7:00, but if you _really_ don’t want to go, I’ll cancel it.”

Azriel didn’t have a reason not to go. He happened to be free on Friday, and he hadn’t been on a legitimate date in months. The sincerity in his best friend’s face softened his skepticism a fraction; Nesta really wasn’t the type to do such things if she didn’t truly believe they were worthwhile. He considered asking her for time to think about it, but from the way he was already warming up to the idea, he knew deep down he was going to agree. It was better to rip the band-aid off.

“Fine. I’ll go,” he began, and Nesta’s face lit up with either joy or victory. His money was on the latter. “BUT, if it doesn’t go well, you or Cassian will call and bail me out. No questions asked, alright?”

Nesta smiled, and it irritated him that she won yet another Nesta-Azriel standoff. Their record stayed fairly even as the years progressed, but he found that lately, Nesta seemed to have favor.

“No problem!” Azriel wished she would tamp down her enthusiasm a touch. “I don’t think you’ll need it, but I promise we’ll be on standby!”

He let out a long, heavy breath. “Don’t make me regret trusting you.”

—

In that infuriating way of hers, Nesta called Azriel promptly at 6:15 to check on his status. She told him she wanted to be sure he was almost dressed, leading to some light bickering between the friends. If nothing else, it served as a proper distraction from his nerves.

“You must wonder how I make it out of the house each day without you calling to walk me through it,” he muttered, flicking his turn signal as he approached the restaurant.

Nesta’s laugh carried through the phone. “That’s fair. Maybe I’m being a little overbearing.” On that note, Azriel let the silence speak for him. “Okay, a lot overbearing. I heard your blinker though, so that must mean you’re on your way. I half-expected you to find a way out of this.”

“Oh, I entertained several possibilities,” he joked, using the palm of his hand to turn into an empty parking spot. “None of them would have worked with you, so I decided not to waste my time.” Another laugh from his friend. “I actually just parked, so I’m going to head inside. I’ll keep you posted.”

The restaurant was fairly upscale but not too formal. Azriel had worried that his khakis and white button down shirt weren’t dressy enough, but he was pleased to see that he seemed to blend in. He found a seat at the small bar immediately inside the restaurant and ordered an Old Fashioned. As he people-watched, he realized Nesta never told him how to identify the woman he was meeting.

A: **So, who am I looking for? You never gave me any info.**

Nes: **Because it’s a blind date.**

Azriel rolled his eyes at that, but another message appeared just seconds later.

Nes: **You’ll know when you see her. She knows what you look like!**

He huffed an unimpressed laugh as he brought his glass to his lips. For a woman who was so eager to make this work, she wasn’t exactly setting him up for success. The 45-minute buffer had been a good call, he decided. It gave him some time to sit alone with his drink and get his mind right before 7:00 rolled around. Then, he could worry about watching the door for his date while trying not to look like a creep.

A few minutes later, Azriel glanced up as he grimaced against the burn of his whiskey. His eyes caught on a familiar head of deep brown curls, and he couldn’t help but curse his damned luck.

Of course Elain Archeron walked into the restaurant; just in time to erase any mental preparation he’d managed to initiate. Azriel’s eyes lingered as she exchanged polite conversation with the hostess, his gaze working down her form without his permission. She wore a cream slip dress that fell just above her knees, absolutely torturing him with how it accentuated the delicate curves of her frame. It complimented her golden skin perfectly, and Azriel felt his mouth dry up as he took her in.

Fuck.

As if the universe had a sick sense of humor, Elain’s attention shifted in his direction. She lifted one hand from her clutch and wiggled her slender fingers in greeting; her soft smile nearly making Azriel dizzy. The hostess leaned in to tell her something, and he watched as she gracefully accepted the information and thanked her for her time. Her brown eyes slid back toward Azriel, and his heart thundered in his chest when she moved to close the distance between them.

“Azriel, hi!” she exclaimed, hugging him with one arm in greeting. “I haven’t seen you in forever. How have you been?”

“I’m fine, El. Here; have a seat,” he suggested, pulling the barstool out slightly. He couldn’t decide if he was delighted or if he was making things harder on himself. “How are you?”

“I’m good,” she replied, climbing onto the barstool and ordering a gin and tonic. She immediately turned her attention back to him, and he felt his body flush slightly at her proximity. “My table wasn’t ready, so I thought I would grab a drink. I’m glad I ran into you. It’s nice to have some company for the wait.”

Elain offered another one of those smiles, and Azriel had to shift his gaze toward his drink to keep his wits about him. It would be a lie to say the woman hadn’t always had the same effect on him, and at some point, he decided it was easier to keep his distance to avoid any awkwardness. She had dated Grayson for ages, and it gutted him that a woman like her was with someone who took her for granted. The last he heard, she was dating Lucien Vanserra, and he was glad to know she was with someone who could truly appreciate her. That hadn’t made him any less attracted to her, but at least he knew she was in a healthier relationship.

“That works out for me, too,” he said with forced casualness. “I’m a little early for my reservation, so we’ll keep each other company.”

“I’d like that,” she breathed, her elbow propped on the bar and her fingers toying with her earring. “So who are you meeting?”

“Oh, I have a date,” he blurted. “Just waiting for her to get here.”

He watched as Elain’s brow furrowed slightly, but it smoothed just as quickly. She brought her drink to her lips and took a long pull.

“I hope I didn’t intrude. I’m so sorry.”

“N-no no no. Don’t be. Really, I’m glad we get to catch up.” He smiled in reassurance and was happy to see the tension fade from her shoulders.

The pair fell into easy conversation after that. Azriel marveled at Elain’s ability to pull a true laugh from him in such a short amount of time, and the sound of her own made him want to thread his fingers into her hair and kiss her senseless. Occasionally, a glance at the clock would send a pang of dread through his chest as it approached 7:00. He felt like a complete dick for feeling that way. Time seemed to be absolutely flying now that he was in her company, and he already lamented over that inevitable moment of separation. The closer it got to the top of the hour, the more vigilant he became.

“So, are you meeting Lucien? Hopefully you don’t have to wait too long on your table,” he commented, trying desperately to pull on conversation that would redirect him to neutral territory. Maybe talking about Lucien would be the cold drench of water he needed.

Elain drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she considered her words. “Mm, no. Lucien and I broke up a little while back, actually.”

“Shit, Elain. I’m sorry. I had no idea. I thought things were going well between you two.”

Gods, he felt like an ass. He artfully avoided discussing such personal things about Elain with Nesta, and he figured deep down Nesta knew why. The woman could have at least shared with him this little nugget of info, though.

“No, it’s okay. They were, for the most part. In some ways, I think Lucien is my soulmate.” She huffed a wry laugh while Azriel pretended the words didn’t feel like a shove to the chest. “But the older I get, the more I feel like my definition of soulmates has changed. Lucien gets me in a way I feel most don’t, but it’s not so much in the romantic sense, you know? Kind of like you and Nes.”

Azriel nodded his agreement, understanding fully what she meant. He’d never been able to articulate it as well, but the way she explained it made perfect sense. In a lot of ways, Nesta was very much his twin soul in the world. In just as many ways, their likeness would always prove to keep them very much in a platonic dynamic.

The clock read 6:56, and Azriel felt like his stomach was filled with lead. He decided impulsively what he needed to do, and he pulled out his phone to discretely text Nesta.

A: **Date hasn’t shown up, so I’m hoping you can catch her before she gets inside. I need to call in that favor for a bail out. I can’t do this.**

He knew Elain had her own itinerary for the evening, but regardless if his attraction was one-sided, it wouldn’t be fair to go through the motions with someone. If the night ended in Azriel having a single drink with Elain and picking up takeout on the way home, he would consider the night a win.

His phone started vibrating wildly in his pocket; mere seconds having passed since he sent the text to Nesta. He excused himself briefly to take her call, walking into the lobby of the restaurant before answering. Azriel offered a casual greeting, bracing himself for the scolding that would surely follow.

“Azriel, you haven’t even given things a chance,” she barked, foregoing any pleasantries. “Maybe you got there too early, and all that down time is going to your head.”

He squeezed his eyes shut, guilt coursing through him for the split-second decision. “No, I don’t think it’s that. I’ve had company, actually. I ran into your sister at the bar while she was waiting for her own table. I just— Nesta, it wouldn’t be fair for me to go on this date.”

Silence, seeming to span an eternity, was all he heard. Azriel shook his head back and forth as if clearing his mental fog, his irritation with her silence and the terms of their arrangement getting to him.

“Nes, we agreed on no questions asked. I’m calling in the favor,” he decided.

Finally, Nesta’s voice came through the phone. The chuckle that initiated her reply was surprising, to say the least.

“You’re a fucking moron. Both of you are, actually.”

Azriel considered that for a minute, the impossibility of the scenario starting to sink in.

“Did you—“

“Your date is Elain, for the Cauldron’s sake. How did that not register?!”

Indignant anger bubbled up in Azriel’s chest at her words. “Because the last I heard, she was dating Lucien,” he hissed, trying to keep his voice low. “And I don’t know why you wouldn’t just fucking tell me you’re setting me up with your sister instead of making this whole show of a blind date.”

“Don’t act like you wouldn’t have overthought that into the ground, Az,” she retorted, her voice clipped. “Both of you would have gotten in your own way and never pulled the trigger, so I was trying to make it easier. You can’t overthink it if you don’t get a chance.”

Azriel forced a deep breath; in through his nose and out through his mouth.

“But... if you really want to call in the favor, I’ll hold up my end of the bargain. Go back over, and I’ll call with—“

“NO! Sorry... no. It’s okay. I’ll manage.”

“I figured as much.” He clenched his jaw at her tone and reminded himself of her good intentions.

“I could choke you sometimes.”

“That feeling, and I cannot stress this enough, is completely and entirely mutual. Now, stop wasting time talking to me and go enjoy your date.”

Azriel, despite himself, smiled at his best friend’s words. If he didn’t love her so much, he would swear he hated her; not that he intended to empower her with that knowledge. He would never hear the end of it.

He turned to face the bar and a slight panic worked through him as he watched Elain stand up to follow the hostess. Her brown eyes raised to scan the restaurant lobby, and when they found his, she gave him a regretful, apologetic smile.

“Az?”

“I gotta go. They’re taking my girl away.”

“What are you—“

“Talk later. Bye.”

Azriel ended the call, cringing at his rudeness and the impending consequences. Slipping his phone into his pocket, he grabbed a twenty out of his wallet, slapped it on the bar, and went in pursuit of that head of brown hair. He could see her weaving through the sea of tables in the busy restaurant, just behind the hostess, and he strode after them as gracefully as possible while navigating through the other patrons. He concentrated on keeping his visual, his legs carrying him after her on autopilot.

Elain slid into the booth and smiled appreciatively at the hostess. Azriel paused for a second to take her in and allow the hostess to place the menus on the table. After what felt like an hour, Elain was alone, and he walked slowly over to her to slide into the opposite bench of the booth.

His date looked up from her menu, her eyes lighting up at seeing him sitting across from her. His stomach flipped at her expression, and suddenly, he realized Nesta was right. He’d been a moron for a very long time.

“Az,” Elain chuckled, her eyes scanning his face, “what are you doing?”

“Are you on a blind date, El?” For all his realizations that evening, he wished he was better at presenting them.

"Yeah," she breathed; her brows furrowed at his question. "Why do you ask?"

"Your sister considers herself a mastermind, I guess." He glanced down at the table for a second, unable to look at her expression for the reveal. "She sent me here for the same reason."

Tense, loaded silence was obviously an Archeron family trait. When he couldn't stand it anymore he looked toward Elain, and he was met with a soft sparkle in her eyes and a full, devastating smile. He silently cursed the faint blush he felt across his cheekbones.

Elain laughed then, a full and beautiful sound. "We're so stupid," she remarked with an affectionate shake of her head.

"Nesta used the term 'morons'," he replied through a soft laugh of his own.

His friend sent a text his way, as if summoned from the other side by the utterance of her name.

Nes: **You hung up on me. Update me later?**

A: **Sorry. I didn't have much time to talk. I'm on a date.**

Azriel doubted that she would find him as funny as he did, but nothing could sour his mood under the circumstances. Plus, it was hardly his fault that she texted him to state the obvious.

A: **Jokes aside, yes. I'll update you.**

Nes: **Good. Maybe next time you won't be such a curmudgeon when I ask you to trust me.**

He huffed a laugh at her snark, but he didn’t dare make that promise. He was a skeptic down to the bone marrow, and he didn’t want to disappoint her.

A: **No promises, but I’ll admit you won this round. Thanks, Nes.**

“You’re not getting someone to call with an emergency, are you? Now that you know who your date is? ”

Azriel’s eyes snapped up to Elain, his voice readying to stammer through his refusal, until he saw the gleam of jest in her expression. He offered her a small smile, sliding his phone back into his pocket and reaching for her hand across the table.

“No,” he assured her quietly, “I was just telling her thank you.”

——————————————————————————


End file.
